Thirteen more people fined for fraudulent use of blue badge

Thirteen more people have been prosecuted for using a relative or friend’s blue badge to park for free in disabled bays across the city.

They include Nazakat Khan, 37, of College Court, Sheffield, who was prosecuted for misusing a blue badge on two separate occasions.

Sheffield City Council is warning it will be clamping down on people who use blue badges illegally during the Christmas period. So far, 40 people caught using a badge that has not been issued to them have had it confiscated following prosecution.

In the latest cases brought before Sheffield Magistrates’ Court during November, 13 people were ordered to pay a total of £5,182 for the wrongful use of a blue badge.

Those prosecuted in court on 21 November were:

Mark Shepherd, 55, of Cherry Bank Road, Sheffield, fined £1136

Patrick Brown, 53, of Beaumont Crescent, Sheffield, fined £1136

Melvin Copley, 67, of Moorthorpe Green, Sheffield, fined £350

Jozef Gabco, of Willougby Street, Sheffield, fined £350

Nazakat Ali Khan, 37, of College Court, Sheffield, fined £710

Stephen Rooney, 44, of Buchanan Road, Sheffield, fined £350

Adam Stride, 31, of Whinacre Close, Sheffield, fined £430

Shazia Akhtar, 43, of Straun Road, Sheffield, fined £350

Those prosecuted in court on 1 November were:

Roger Deakin, 62, address withheld for legal reasons, fined £200

Robert Morley, 57, of Herrington Avenue, Sheffield, fined £200

Evette Calvin, 48, of Jamaica Street, Sheffield, fine £200

Tracy Dickinson, 52, of Briary Close, Sheffield, fined £200

Sarah Baker, 62, of Brocco Bank, Sheffield, fined £200.

It brings the number of successful prosecutions for the wrongful use of a blue badge since enforcement began earlier this year to 40 – with Sheffield Magistrates’ Court handing down fines totally more than £15,000.

Sheffield City Council has brought the cases to court under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, with civil enforcement officers hoping to bring more cases in the weeks ahead.

Blue badges will be removed from the person they were issued to following prosecution.

The Council launched a clampdown on brazen blue badge bandits earlier this year warning that improper use can lead to a criminal conviction and a fine of up to £1,000 plus any costs awarded by the court.

Councillor Jack Scott, cabinet member for transport and infrastructure at Sheffield City Council, said: “With Christmas approaching, some motorists with access to someone else’s blue badge might feel that they can use disabled parking bays to park for free close to shops and attractions.

“There’s simply no excuse for doing this. We’ve introduced free parking across the city on Sundays so using someone’s blue badge illegally is quite simply depriving a person with mobility issues the chance to park with ease and comfort.

“The improper use of Blue Badges has a major impact on people who actually have disabilities, causing parking problems and discrediting the whole scheme. If you let someone else use your blue badge, they will be prosecuted and fined and the vehicle will get a penalty charge notice too.

“Nobody else can use the blue badge unless they are travelling with the owner. We won’t hesitate to confiscate blue badge passes where they are misused.”